3rd Day - Teacher Appreciation Week...I Love Working with @BridgeportPSchl Teachers! Go, Columbus School!

Allan Luke, in 2008, wrote a book chapter on teaching in which he named 'pedagogy' as a gift. It is one of my go-to readings when I want to inspire myself as an educator with the purposes that we were all called to do. Because it is National Teacher Appreciation Week, and I know how hard the teachers work at Columbus K-8 in Bridgeport, Connecticut, I hosted a celebration with them that included Paradise Pizza, salad, chocolate and individually wrapped gladiolas. I also gave Christina Portella, 6th grade teacher, a piece of art collaborated on by my undergraduate Educational Philosophy class who had the privilege of working with her students this semester.

I stayed with the teachers all day, and knew I was also the closing presenter after 5 hours of professional development. At the last minute, I turned the corner to rethink the work we would do. We spent the afternoon revisiting our purposes for teaching, the gifts we share with one another and our students, and thinking metaphorically about perennials and how they pop out of the ground at this time of the year, especially when we're all thinking, "Why did we choose teaching as a career?" I explained, by August the flowers will be in full bloom and we'll be refreshed. Right now, however, we forget about the routines, the cycles, and the craziness of the end-of-the year chaos.

They will have summer to refresh themselves and they will also be able to see their bulbs bloom into flowers (which will come back to them in May ever year, slowly, but surely).

In the presentation, too, I highlighted the colleagues that meant the world to me and the students that impacted my teaching and my life. I didn't expect to get emotional while doing this, but that's what happens when we dedicate ourselves to future generations. The stories abound, and sometimes we forget to share them and to look at them closely for how they bring meaning to our lives.

I'm thrilled to see Ms. Portella with Vice Principal Bagoly because I've been lucky to work with her in three schools now (and her shirt matched my students' artwork).

Each student was given a shape where they thought about our collaborations with Columbus School, and answered the question, "Why teach? Why school?"  The challenge, however, was that they had to artistically represent their thinking which was coordinated to make this collective piece for the school called "Ubuntu" - I am, because we are.

It resonated with everyone and it was a magical day. I told them we receive red carpets and ticker tape parades too seldom in our teaching careers. I hoped for a day, anyway, they would get the round of applause they deserve.

My heart was refreshed. What an incredible staff!